Candy's Interest
by YoungestCullen8
Summary: Two young women are found on the Ponderosa one night and the Cartwrights take them in. Candy takes one under his wing to show her the ropes of the ranch. But what happens when their family comes looking for them? Will the Cartwrights survive?
1. Chapter 1

: **Author's** **Note**_:_ Sorry I haven't written anything in a while. I've been really busy lately and hadn't had any real inspiration. All the stories I have to finish just be patient they will get done.

Anyway.

I'm a big fan of Bonanza. So I thought it would only seem fit to write a story about it. It is one of my main interests. I love old westerns and this one ranks up there.

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It was nearly midnight on the Ponderosa. The horses were bedded down in the stable and the cattle were grazing in the pastures. The men who worked the large ranch were either in their beds fast asleep or were getting ready to hit the sack.

Ben Cartwright sat at his desk doing his books by lamp light. It had been a rough day for him. He had lost two head of cattle on the north forty. They had gotten caught in some rocks and had to be put down. Little Joe, his youngest son, had fallen and hurt his ankle, forcing him to go back to the house and rest up. That left Ben with two hands, his older son Hoss and his ranch hand Candy.

When he had come back to the house, Hop Sing had had dinner ready but he wasn't ready to eat. That made his cook very unhappy. He went back cursing in Chinese. His sons had argued after dinner about something trivial. That had set his teeth to gritting. He didn't yell at his sons often but this was one time he couldn't suffer it any longer. He let them have it.

The rest of the night had gone off without a hitch. His sons had retired after a few hours in front of the fire. Candy had disappeared to his bunk house, undoubtedly to get caught up on some reading or writing or whatever he did after dinner. Hop Sing had retired to his room for some sleep. That man spent so much time in the kitchen he rarely got out.

At the moment it was quiet in the house. Ben heard a bed upstairs squeak as one of his sons turned over in his bed. His pen scratched against the paper in the log and the clock ticked on the wall. He could hear coyotes howling in the distance.

This was the sound of the Ponderosa and he wouldn't change it for anything.

It reminded him of the days he had been building it. Adam had been a boy and Hoss a toddler. Little Joe hadn't been born yet but Ben had been married to his mother. He had the living room and the kitchen set up and they all slept in there, screens dividing their bedrooms. Not long after Little Joe had been born and Ben had lost another wife. He vowed to take care of his children. That's how the Ponderosa became the way it was. It was a family home.

He looked around the massive living room that tripled as a dining room and his office. The boys had made this place theirs, as they always did everything they owned. There were some bridles on the couch that Joe had been working on, Hoss had a book on the coffee table and Candy had left his knife on the mantle from where he had stood whittling this afternoon.

If his last two sons left, this place wouldn't be a home anymore. Adam was gone and would never return. That was a loss he would never get over. Candy hadn't taken his son's place but he made it easier to work the ranch like it had when Adam had been there.

As he sat thinking about his son, Joe walked down the stairs in a robe. He didn't look as if he'd been asleep. The hair on the back of his head was sticking up as if he'd been lying on his back looking at the ceiling. He came into the living room and sat on the chair watching the fire as it roared in the fireplace. It was a cold November night and the fire was the only thing keeping the living room warm.

"Have you ever wondered what would happen if one of us got married?" Joe asked.

Ben sat back in his chair and looked at his son. Joe was looking away from him which meant he was in deep thought. "I have. I think about it every day. I'm not opposed to it. I would enjoy having grandchildren."

"I figured that, Pa."

"What brought this on, Joe?"

"I was just thinking, Pa. that's all."

Ben looked at the picture of his family and ranch hands on his wall. If he added a daughter-in-law and then grandchildren, he'd be a happier man than he was at the moment.

"Mr. Cartwright! Mr. Cartwright!" Candy's voice rang through the quiet night like a bell at a church.

Both Ben and Joe jumped up and ran outside. Candy and another ranch hand were kneeling over one woman while another stood to the side with a toddler in her arms. A third ranch hand was holding the reins to a palomino to keep him from running.

"What happened, Candy?" Ben asked.

"I was walking around the stable, making certain everything was locked up tight, much like I normally do. When I rounded the corner, I saw a horse coming from town with two riders. This woman here reined the horse in and fell as she was getting off. She has a busted lip, Mr. Cartwright. She's been abused."

Ben looked up at the other woman as she stood quietly in the background. As he got a closer look, he saw that both women were Native American, or rather one was full-blooded and the other was half-Native American and half white. The baby in her arms was darker making it at least a third Native American.

"Get her into the house." Ben ordered.

Candy did as he was ordered. He lifted the woman from the ground and carried her into the house. He placed her on the couch and looked at her closely. "Mr. Cartwright, she's just a child, no more than eighteen."

Ben turned to the other woman who had followed them. The baby was asleep in her arms. She was looking at them as if they didn't scare her, which was a good thing. Now that he got a good look at her, he could see the resemblance of the two young women.

"Excuse me. What is your name?" he asked kindly.

"I am Flying Eagle. This is Black Bear and that is my sister Running Wolf." She replied.

"I'm Ben Cartwright. This is my son Joseph and my ranch hand Candy. Do you mind telling us what happened?"

"Our father beat Running Wolf after finding out about her marriage and Black Bear. He found her with her husband, Chief Red Eagle of the Lakota Sioux, and snatched her away. Red Eagle came searching for her and Father killed him right in front of us. Tonight Father went after Black Bear and Running Wolf attacked him. After she knocked him out, we ran. We ended up here, looking for help. Please, Mr. Cartwright, don't let our father take us back."

Joe looked at Ben. "Pa, we can't let their father get hold of them. If we do, there's no telling what will happen."

Ben looked at the sleeping baby. He didn't seem to care that his mother and aunt were in danger as long as he got to eat, sleep and do his business. He reminded him of his sons when they were that age. They were so cute and dependent on him.

"Pa?"

"Mr. Cartwright?"

He looked up at his son and the man that was like a son. They were looking at him expectantly. "Joe, let the ladies sleep in your room for tonight. We'll get Doctor Henderson out here tomorrow to check on this young woman to make sure she is okay. After that, we'll figure out what to do."

"Yes, Pa." Joe moved to get extra blankets so he could sleep on the couch.

"Candy, will you take the young ladies up to Joe's room so they can get some rest?"

"Sure, Mr. Cartwright. Follow me." Candy picked Running Wolf up again and carried her upstairs as Flying Eagle followed with Black Bear.

Ben watched as Joe made his bed on the couch. "I'll get Hop Sing to make the guest room tomorrow. Can you handle being on the couch tonight, Son?"

Joe looked up from the arm rest. "Yes, Pa, I can handle this for tonight. Let's just make sure we find the man who did this. They're just girls, Pa."

"I know, Son. I know. Well, I'm going to bed. Try to get some sleep." Ben patted his son on the shoulder and went up the stairs. He ran into Candy as he was coming down. "Are they settled?"

"For the most part. Flying Eagle is fretting over Running Wolf." Candy said. He scratched his head. "What are we going to do, Mr. Cartwright? We can't let their father come and take them back. That's going to lead to murder. It already has actually."

"We'll figure it all out. First I think we need to get the doctor up here to check her out them we'll look for the Sioux to return the girls, if they want to go."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea. What I know of the Sioux is if they find the women with us, they will try to slaughter us as well."

"We'll make sure that doesn't happen. Now go to bed. We have a long day tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." Candy walked past his boss down the stairs and out the door.

Ben looked around the hallway and made a mental note to baby proof the house once again before he disappeared in his room.


	2. Chapter 2

Little Joe felt something on his chest. He knew he was in the living room of his house and he knew the dog was allowed in the house at times, especially if it was raining and the stable had been closed. He knew it was morning because he could see red on the underside of his eyelids.

Not knowing what it was, he opened his eyes and looked down. A happy baby boy was sitting contentedly on his stomach with a wooden horse in his hands. He was chewing on it as he looked down at Joe. He would pull it out of his mouth long enough to look at it then turn it before it went back in.

When he noticed Joe was awake and looking at him, he tossed the wooden horse and began patting the man's chest happily. While he was doing that, he was saying something in baby talk.

Joe had to laugh. The baby was so excited to see him away he was hitting a complete and utter stranger. His dark skin was a complete contrast to the white shirt he was wearing. His dark eyes were big as he continued hitting him.

He got up, holding the baby to him, and wandered into the laundry room for some clean clothes so he didn't have to upset the women upstairs. He grabbed a fresh pair of pants that had been folded and had yet to be put away. Pulling on another clean shirt, he grabbed the little boy and went into the dining room where Hop Sing was making breakfast.

"Mr. Cartwright, I see you found the little one." he said as he turned around. The baby clapped happily and reached for the cook. Hop Sing laughed. "No, no, little one. Hop Sing cooking. We play later."

Joe smiled. "Hop Sing, have either one of the ladies come down?"

"Yes, Mr. Cartwright. The one named Flying Eagle came down for hot water. She said she was going to clean wounds."

"So you have seen Eagle?"

"Yes, Mr. Cartwright."

"Thank you, Hop Sing. I'll see you in a little bit."

"Yes, Mr. Cartwright."

Joe left the kitchen and headed for the stable, the baby still in his arms. He could hear his pa and brother as well as Candy talking just outside the stable doors. The baby started cooing happily as Joe made his way over.

"Morning, Pa." he said as he shifted the baby from one hip to another.

Ben turned around. "Someone slept a little late." He reached for the baby's hand. "What are you doing with Bear?"

"Bear's the one that woke me up this morning. He was sitting on my stomach chewing on the wooden horse Candy made."

Candy smiled happily. "I knew that little wooden horse would come in handy someday."

"Candy, will you take Bear inside? While you're there, check on the girls." Ben asked politely.

"Sure, Mr. Cartwright." Candy took the baby from Joe and headed back into the house. Flying Eagle came down the stairs and sighed heavily when she saw Candy and Bear. "Were you looking for him?"

"Yes. He has the tendency to toddle away. As far as I can remember he's been able to crawl down steps." She met him at the bottom of the stairs and took the baby. "Thank you, Mr. Cartwright."

"My name's not Cartwright, ma'am. It's Canaday, but just call me Candy."

"Yes, sir."

"How's your sister?"

"Doctor Henderson said she'll be fine. All she needs is her bandages changed daily."

"Has she been eating?"

"Yes, sir. She should be down for supper tonight."

"That sounds great. I'll tell Mr. Cartwright."

"Please do and thank you for taking care of Black Bear."

"It wasn't a problem, ma'am." He waited until she had ascended the stairs before he went outside again. Ben and Joe were still standing in the same spot talking about something. "Eagle says Wolf will be at supper tonight."

"That is very good. Doctor Henderson said she'll be fine within a few days. Our job is to make sure she takes it easy." Ben said as he opened the stable door and ventured inside.

"She's Lakota, Pa. there's no way she'll take it easy." Joe argued as he followed.

"You're probably right but we have to try. Candy, I'll put you in charge of that, especially if she's outside. Hop Sing will take care of her indoors. We'll take care of these young women and that baby boy."

"What if their father comes back around?" Hoss asked. He had passed Candy on his way out. Apparently he had come in on the tail end of the conversation his father and younger brother had been having.

"We will fight for them."

"If he killed the chief, and not just any chief but a Sioux chief, what will stop him from killing us?" Candy asked.

"I don't know but I have a plan that might help." Ben walked out the doors, heading for his horse. The boys watched him ride from the ranch with a purpose.

"Do you know where he's going?" Candy asked as they went into the tack room to gather their horses' tack.

Little Joe grabbed his saddle and headed for Cochise. The black and white paint stood patiently as he was suited up for work. "Pa has a friend who lives close to the Sioux. I think he's going to send a telegram to him asking for help. It might help since he has a good trading relationship with the tribes there."

"You're not so sure?" Joe shook his head. "Why not?"

"He's a month's ride away. If we're close enough for those girls to find us, we won't be hard to find if he's looking for them like Flying Eagle explained last night." Hoss explained. "If Pa's friend can get here, we should be fine. If not, we have to find a way of fighting." He caught Candy's confused look. "Pa told me of what happened last night."

Candy nodded and looked around the homestead of the ranch. "It would be a shame to see the place destroyed if someone wants those girls that bad."

"If they want those girls that bad, they have to go through us." Joe said as he mounted his horse. He spurred Cochise on towards town.

Candy put the tack on his horse silently. Those two women were scared and had come to them for help. His convictions forced him to see that. If the Cartwrights weren't going to do that, he would talk to his own connections to see if they would help. He was going to protect those women and that baby.

He swung up on his horse and went to work.


	3. Chapter 3

The men came in for supper late. Hop Sing laid into them about it, as he usually did. He hated when they were late. It usually meant he had to start all over again for supper. The men just laughed after he went to fetch supper.

Once the men were seated, the ladies came down. Flying Eagle had Black Bear's hand as the toddle tried to run down the stairs. Her sister followed closely behind but at a slower pace.

The taller of the two, Running Wolf was very pretty. She was the full-blooded sister. Now as they looked, they could tell that Running Wolf was the mother of Black Bear. Flying Eagle was the half-blooded sisters.

Both sisters wore their hair in the traditional braids and were dressed in a type of buckskin that made them look decent. Beads hung off the fringe of their outfits. It made a little noise when they moved.

Running Wolf stepped to the bottom level and Flying Eagle grabbed her arm. In their native language, the older scolded the younger lightly. Flying Eagle nodded and stepped back, allowing her to walk to the table. Joe jumped up and let her have his chair, taking the seat the other end of the table. When Flying Eagle had been seated, Black Bear ran over to Candy's chair and held up his hands. The man looked down at him then reached for him.

"Seems like Bear found someone to play with him." Running Wolf said. She was smiling as she looked at the little boy happily playing with the man's vest.

"He like hanging with men in general, ma'am." Little Joe said. "I woke up with him staring at me this morning."

"Yes, he does that."

"Sister, would you like me to take him?" Flying Eagle asked, her chair scrapping the floor as she began to stand.

"Leave him be. He is content." Eagle nodded and sat back down, hands in her lap.

"Well, now that you've joined us, Hop Sing! You may serve supper." Ben called to the cook.

Hop Sing came out very upset. He mumbled the entire time he set supper out. When he came near Bear, he handed the boy something to munch on while everyone ate their supper. Once, Bear clapped his hand in Candy's mashed potatoes, sending the fluffy food into the air. The men laughed as Flying Eagle gasped and Running Wolf took her child and Candy rubbed food off his vest. She stared him in the eyes before he lay against her, thumb in his mouth looking all pitiful.

When Candy was clean and supper over, they all say by the fire with coffee. Flying Eagle sat in the floor with Black Bear as Running Wolf sat on the couch beside Little Joe.

"Mr. Cartwright, I'd like to talk to you about something if you wouldn't mind." Running Wolf said after a long silence.

Ben took a sip of his coffee then set it down. "Go right ahead."

"As you know, I was married to a Sioux chief. I was born a Sioux princess in what you now call South Dakota. My marriage brought two Lakota tribes together into an alliance. Black Bear is the son of that chief."

"Yes, we have heard that. May I ask why your father murdered the chief?"

"The man who killed my husband is not my father. He is Eagle's father. We share the same mother. Unfortunately, our mother passed away recently."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thank you. Sir, what I have to ask could cost you your life. I suggest you think long and hard about your answer."

All the men looked at each other. Ben nodded. "Go ahead."

"I would like to ask for asylum for my family. Eagle's father will hunt for us. If we are on our own, we will surely be killed. My father's and husband's people will search for us. They will undoubtedly kill any white man near us, especially white man near the chief's son."

"Ma'am, I don't mean to be rude, but we own over 600,000 acres of land. Someone is always watching it. We will know if someone comes after us." Hoss said.

"The Lakota are a mighty strong group. If they think they are hurt in the slightest, they will kill us." Candy replied, always the voice of reason when it came to the Indians.

"Tell me this, young lady." Ben said. "How did you get hurt?"

Running Wolf nodded. "I was spurring the horse along across a cliff. As we round the corner, he miss stepped. I tumbled off and landed roughly on my back."

Joe frowned. "Eagle made it seem like you were beaten."

"I am not surprised. When her father took me from the tribe by force, he did hit me once or twice. I took a knife to him and he left me alone after that. Luckily for him, he never touched my son or he would be a dead man."

"Indian women are fiercely protective of their young." Candy supplied. "She would have sent out an Indian war cry over him." He nodded his head to Running Wolf when she looked at him.

Ben sat back in his chair and linked his fingers together. "If I grant you asylum, what could you do around the Ponderosa?"

"Eagle is a great seamstress and cook. I tamed horses in the village."

Joe looked at his father. "Pa, we still have that black stallion in the corral that no one's been able to tame. Maybe we should give her a try."

Ben and Running Wolf stared at each other in silence. He was sizing her up to see if she could do her job. She didn't look away, meeting his gaze fully. There was something in her dark eyes that made him believe her. She stared at him full on and that usually made him all the more defensive but she was a woman and women sometimes never knew the affect they had on men.

Candy, Joe, and Hoss looked at each other as the staring contest went on. They didn't know what was going on. It seemed to be an argument but it wasn't a loud one. It was more or less done with the eyes.

Ben sat forward and held out his hand across the coffee table. Running Wolf leaned forward as well, taking his hand into hers and shaking it.

"Asylum granted." He said. "I trust the rooms Hop Sing made for you are pleasant."

"Yes, sir, they are. Thank you for the baby crib as well."

"Anything to make this place feel as if it were home to you."

The night was filled with small talk. Flying Eagle left to go to bed. Eventually Black Bear, who had been playing with Candy in the floor after his aunt left, passed out on the ranch hand. Candy made a face at the sleeping baby.

"I will take him upstairs." Running Wolf said as she stood.

"I've got him, ma'am. Just show me where his room is." Candy said as he stood.

Running Wolf nodded. "Good night."

"Good night." Ben, Hoss and Joe replied as they ascended the stairs.

Candy followed Running Wolf upstairs. He got a good look from behind, not that he was really looking. He could tell she was still trim even after having a baby. She was on the short side considering he was nearing six foot. Today she had let her dark hair fall down her back. He could see the feather as floated over her shoulder. It was a Sioux trademark, one he was becoming to like.

Running Wolf opened the door and allowed him in the room. Candy walked in and went straight over to the crib. He laid the little boy in it and stepped back to look at him. He was sleeping peaceful as peaceful as a baby could. It made him wonder what his children would be like.

"He's always slept like that, even from the moment he was born."

Candy turned around to look at the mother. She was looking at him with a small smile. "He's a good kid."

"That he is. He's just like his father. Although now with him gone, I don't know who's going to give him that father figure."

"If you stay here, he will have that."

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Candy."

Candy smiled and nodded. "Good night, ma'am."

"Good night."

He stepped out the door and pulled it closed. He stared at it for a moment before going back down the stairs. Not long after all the men decided it was time to go to bed.


	4. Chapter 4

**One Month Later**

Candy and Joe stood by the corral and watched as Running Wolf walked around the horses.

It had been a full month until she had been able to work. Flying Eagle had taken on some of the house work. Hop Sing hadn't been happy about that in the beginning but he had gradually warmed up to it. Everyone thought it was because she was a woman but the truth was it was Black Bear that made his day a little better. He had been running around like a little crazy person.

Ben had gotten word from his friend in South Dakota. The Sioux were mustering forces to head to Nevada. They heard about their late chief's son and wife being captive and were on a death call. He also heard that a man had come through a few towns looking for two girls and a baby. There was no doubt the father was on his way. Now all Ben needed to do was find a way to protect them from the man and the war party on the way.

"How's it going?" Hoss asked as he and Ben walked up to the corral. They had finished their work at the house and were being nosy.

"We're trying to figure out what she's doing." Candy replied. He was leaning heavily against the rail watching intently. He'd been a hand for a year now and yet he was learning something new.

Ben watched as the horses ran around the circle with the black stallion in the middle. The woman was walking around the corral completely calm, as if she was just getting a feel for him. "Get the other horses out except the stallion." Ben ordered.

Candy jumped the fence without a second thought and began ushering the other horses out. He looked across the corral at Wolf, as he'd come to call her, but she ignored him, her eyes on the horse. He made sure the gate was closed and jumped the fence, shrugging when Joe looked at him.

Wolf began to sing soothingly in Sioux. Obviously the horse recognized the language as the men almost collapsed from the song. He tossed his head and began to prance in a circle. Wolf smiled and moved forward as she continued her song. She held her hand out steadily. The stallion sniffed it before knocking it with his nose. He stepped into her where his head went over her shoulder.

"Well, look at that." Joe sounded surprised as the horse and woman bonded.

"Now just for her to ride him." Ben said under his breath.

"How's he feel?" Candy called as Wolf ran her hand along the horse's side. She didn't respond. "She did not just ignore me."

"Let her finish." Hoss replied. He was in a dreamy mood because of what he was hearing.

The Sioux language never faltered as Wolf continued to work. She backed up to the fence and sat on the rail. The stallion came over and nudged her with his snout. As she continued to speak, Wolf stood and grasped the silken mane.

She swung up on his back and nestled herself behind the stallion's shoulders. He panicked for a second but when her voice never changed pitch he settled. She spurred him on and he began to walk around the corral.

The men stood in awe of the way this woman had tamed a horse in less than fifteen minutes. The way she rode told them she was an accomplished rider. Not many Indian women could ride with the finesse she did.

"Pa, please tell me I'm not dreaming." Hoss requested as Wolf brought the stallion to a stop in front of them and leaned down to hug his neck.

"No, Son, you're not dreaming." Ben replied. "Young lady, where did you learn to ride like that?"

Wolf smiled. "My late husband taught me. He said women should learn to ride and fight because they could die by sword, arrow or bullet."

"Your husband was very wise." Joe said. He smiled when she nodded. "What are you going to name that horse?"

She looked down at the animal beneath her. "Howling Wind."

"Sounds like a good name. You'll work with him from now on." Ben said with a smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Cartwright."

"You're very welcome. Candy, help her stable Wind."

Candy untied the gate and rode it back as it swung wide. Wolf easily rode the stallion out and onto the field. She reached a hand out. Candy looked at it then smiled when she nodded. He grabbed her wrist and swung up behind her. The horse lurched into a gallop and headed for the stable. The Cartwrights could only smile as they followed on their horses.

Wolf pulled the stallion into a trot before the opened doors. Candy jumped off and led the way to an empty stall. He reached up to help her down then let her lead the horse into the clean stall.

"I'm impressed. No one's been able to ride or get near him." He said as she brushed her new horse down.

"They didn't have the right touch." She replied as she rubbed the spot she just brushed. "Don't do it."

Candy dropped the brush he just grabbed. "Why not?"

"He doesn't know you. Give him time."

"Why?"

"He's new. He doesn't know your voice."

He rested his hands on his hips."I've been yelling at him for a month."

"Exactly. He's got a free spirit and doesn't take well to someone yelling at him."

He stared at her. Here she was younger than him telling him how to treat a horse. She patted her horse and left the stall then just stared at him as she leaned against the door. The look on her face made Candy want to touch her.

"How far is it to South Dakota?" she asked suddenly.

"A month's ride." He replied. A horrid thought occurred to him "Do you want to go home?"

"I'm not sure. I like it here but my sister does not."

"You should be the one skittish of white man. Not her."

"I know but your kindness to us is unforgettable. I feel as if I have a home here."

He couldn't hold back anymore. Candy placed a hand on the small of her back. "You have a home here as long as you need one."

She glanced over her shoulder at the warm spot on her back. They had formed a strong bond in the month she and her small family had been there. He would help her with anything she needed, especially when it came to Bear. The two had an antagonistic relationship but it was evident they loved each other.

After a few moments of comfortable silence, they headed to the house.

"Candy?"

"Hmm?"

"Will you take me hunting tomorrow?"

Candy frowned and looked at her. "What for?"

"I want to put a feather on Wind's mane. That way I know he's mine."

"Trust me, Wolf. Everyone will know that horse is yours but I'll take you anyway."

"Thank you, Candy."

"Any time, ma'am. Let's go see that little boy of yours."

When the door opened, there was a crash then cry. Bear came running out with Hop Sing following close behind, flour making a cloud behind the two. The little boy clung to Candy's leg and hid behind him.

"Oh, Mr. Candy! That little boy been causing trouble in kitchen. I cannot cook. Afraid for his little life." the cook said in his flustered Chinese accent.

Candy looked at Wolf. She nodded and he got down. "Little Bear, are you supposed to be in the kitchen while Hop Sing is cooking?" The little boy shook his head while he gnawed on his thumb. "Then why were you there?"

"Fun." Bear replied quietly.

"Well, when Hop Sing cooks, it gets very dangerous in the kitchen. From now on, you leave when it gets too hot." Bear nodded the hugged Candy hard. Candy stood and looked at the cook. "He won't get in your way anymore."

"I'm going to take Bear up for a nap." Wolf said as she picked her son up.

Candy watched her go upstairs. "How long have you been there?"

Joe smiled as in came into view. "A few minutes now. You're really great with that little boy."

"He needs a father figure."

"It seems he's found one." Candy looked at his friend. "But I'm curious. Are you getting close to the boy or his mother?"

"Leave it alone, Joe." He turned and walked out of the house to finish his work.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** I have a feeling you want to see what happens in town when an Indian goes into it and begins to ask for stuff.

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Candy reined the horses in, stopping the buggy as they stopped. Everyone was looking at him. He shook his head.

**Earlier**

"Candy." Wolf said as she walked into the barn.

The ranch hand turned around and set the pitch fork on the ground. "Yeah, honey?"

"Can you take me into town today? There're some things I need to pick up. I'd go alone but Mr. Cartwright says it's not a good idea."

"He's right about that. It's not safe for you to go into town alone."

"Is it because I'm Sioux?" Candy nodded. She responded with a nod. "Will you take me into town later?"

"Sure. Let me finish in here and I will hook the buggy up and take you into town."

**Now**

He looked at Wolf as she looked around the town. She had obviously never been in a white man's town before and it was a new thing to her. He stepped down and turned to help her down when he noticed all the men gathering to talk about him and her.

Wolf stopped beside him and looked around her. It was odd because she had never seen people congregate to look at one person. She stepped closer to Candy, forcing her shoulder into his side. He took her hand and started walking.

"Where do you need to go?" he asked.

"I need to get some stuff for Bear. He needs a new outfit because he ripped his on the stairs. And then Eagle needs some things for the kitchen, although Hop Sing swears he doesn't need anything."

"Yeah, he's a stubborn old coot. By the way, how are you going to pay for it?"

"Mr. Cartwright gave me some money to spend for the day."

Candy didn't say anything as he followed her into one of the stores. The ladies in the store were not happy to see an Indian woman in their store. Wolf didn't seem to be paying a lick of attention to them. She went about her business, ignoring the nasty looks she was getting. That made Candy laugh. Not many women could ignore nasty looks.

She bought a little bit of fabric to make a new garment for Bear and walked out. Candy stored the fabric on the buggy before he led her to the general store for the rest of the items she needed. When they stepped in, the same thing happened. Except this time, Candy asked for the things she needed.

"Candy, I'm going to go outside." She said after a few moments.

"Okay, but stay by the door." He replied quietly.

She nodded and stepped outside. She sat on the bench by the door and watched all the people walk around the streets of the town. Everyone looked at her but didn't say a word. She was fine with that. The only people she knew in this town were the Cartwrights and that seemed to be the only family that mattered at the moment.

"Hey, look at the general store. There's a squaw without her man." Someone called from across the street at the saloon. Wolf flicked her gaze there briefly but otherwise ignored him. "Oh, she thinks she's better than us."

They came across the street just as Candy stepped out the door. Even though he was holding all his purchases, he still looked menacing standing beside her. She stood and took his elbow.

"Leave her alone, Jeb." He said as they walked past the men in the street.

"Of course she's with the Cartwrights. They all love Indians, especially Squaws. How to come to find this one, Candy? Did you take her from a raiding party?" Jeb asked as Candy loaded the packages in the buggy.

"She came to us, Jeb."

"Oh, and now you're making her your own woman. How will the Indians take it when they find out she's here with you?"

"Candy." Wolf stalled his attack instantly. "Let's go home."

Candy turned to help her into the buggy.

"He lets the woman control him!"

This time Candy didn't waste any time. He turned and laid Jeb out flat, starting a street brawl. He took on all five men at once. Wolf sat in the buggy and watched for a moment before one of the men pulled a gun. She swung out of the buggy, hitting the man in the head with her feet. She jumped over Candy as he lay in the dirt.

"What are you going to do, squaw?" Jeb asked as he stood up and looked at her. He stopped his advance when two blades slid cleanly from her forearms.

She stared at him. "Come at me and you'll see what a Sioux woman can do to protect herself."

"What's going on here?" Sheriff Coffey asked.

Candy scrambled to his feet and shook the dust from his clothes. "These guys are messing with this woman." He stepped up beside Wolf. "You okay?" She nodded as she sheathed her knives once again. "Sheriff, this woman is staying on the Ponderosa. That means she has the protection of the Cartwrights and me."

Sheriff Coffee looked at the men gathered. "Did you hear that, gentlemen? No one touches this woman ever. You understand me?" The men nodded in agreement. "Now go back to work." He waited until they had all dispersed before he walked over to the two standing by the buggy. "You two okay?"

"Yeah. Just a little beat up is all." Candy replied. He looked down at Wolf who was staring at the man who had yelled at her.

"Go back to the Ponderosa and let the storm ease."

"Yes, Sheriff." Candy placed a hand to Wolf's back to get her to move. When she moved, he helped her into the buggy. He got in the seat and got the horses to go.

"Why do they do that?" she asked on the way home.

"Because you're different." He replied. "They don't like Indians so they antagonize the ones who venture into town and the people who watch out for them. Don't expect any courtesy from those men."

"Will it affect my son?" He didn't answer as he continued driving. "Candy? Answer me please."

"I don't know. More than likely." This time she didn't answer. "You did well defending yourself. I didn't know you carried knives on you."

"I don't usually. I did today because everyone said it was dangerous. I didn't believe you before but now I do."

"Promise me you won't go into town alone."

"I promise."

The rest of the ride was silent as Candy allowed her to think.


	6. Chapter 6

Little Joe held Bear as he watched Candy and Wolf hoist a beam over their heads to carry up a ladder and onto the barn. Candy walked up the ladder carefully with the front half. Wolf followed with the last of it. Candy slid the beam into place then reached for Wolf's hand, pulling her onto the roof with him. Together they got to work hammering the beam into place followed by the replacement roof.

Joe watched the interaction with a small smile on his face. The two were obviously falling for each other but whether or not they knew it was yet to be seen. They worked well together. When Ben asked Candy to replace the beam that had collapsed after the last storm, Wolf had asked to help. Neither said no.

Candy stood to wipe the sweat from his brow. He looked over at Wolf. She was sitting on the roof looking out over the Ponderosa. He could see the awe and gratitude on her face. This had become her home in the last seven weeks, first with her injury and next with her working with Wind. That horse had become hers and everyone on the ranch knew it.

His mind kept going back to that day in town a week ago. She had taken on four men after he had been knocked down. She wasn't afraid. He was certain the men would have taken her apart but not after she sliced them up. He was actually scared for her. That stubborn streak was going to get her killed one of these days.

He shifted his gaze. If anything happened to her, that little boy in Joe's arms would lose his mother. Candy didn't want to see that happen. He loved that little boy like he was his own. And the woman….He looked at the woman beside him. He didn't know what he would do if something did happen to her.

Ben walked out of the house and looked at the new roof. "Looks good, Candy."

"Thanks, Mr. Cartwright. Couldn't have done it without Wolf's help." Candy replied as he climbed down the ladder.

"He could have done it alone." Wolf added as Candy grabbed her waist to help her down to the ground.

"Nonsense. That beam was heavy."

"It seems like you got yourself an assistant, Candy." Ben said with a tempting smile.

Wolf shook her head as the sentence sunk in. "No, Mr. Cartwright. I just thought he might like some help."

"Come on, Wolf. It pays really well and it's a good job if not trying at times." Joe said. He wanted to see Candy happy more than he wanted another ranch hand.

"I don't think so."

"Come on." Candy responded. "I could really use an assistant."

Wolf looked at the three men. One was a father figure for her and could be her boss if she took his offer. Which was kinda pointless not to since she did already work for him. The other would be her co-worker and a very good friend. The last would be her boss but he was also a father figure to her son.

Candy was looking at her expectantly. It was as if he wanted her near him at all times. Truth was, they were together a lot. He was always at the corral when she was working with wind, so much so the horse knew Candy well.

Finally, after much thought, she nodded. The smile that spread across Candy's face was priceless. Ben and Joe were smiling as well. She nodded to them, took her son and excused herself to the house. Eagle was waiting for her by the door.

"You become a ranch hand and the men will kill them all." She said. She had heard everything that had been said and she didn't like it.

"No, they will not. I will not allow it." Wolf argued.

"You are a squaw. They will kill ou as well."

"I don't care."

"What about Candy? Will you allow him to die?" Eagle looked at her sister. "No. please tell me you have not fallen for him."

"That's none of your business."

"Yes, it is. It will get you killed. I will not see my nephew taken away by some other man."

"He won't be. He will live here on the Ponderosa if I am killed."

"They will not allow a chief's son to be raised by white man!"

"I don't care! He's my son and I will decide who will raise him after I am gone!"

"You defy the respect of our fathers?"

"Red Feather told me to take care of Black Bear any way I could. That's what I am doing."

"He needs a home!"

"He needs a father! And I will not see him raised by some other brave!"

Eagle looked at her sister closely. "You would let a white man raise a Sioux child. You dishonor the family. I will let you do as you wish."

"Eagle." The other woman stopped on her way out the door. "If you tell the tribe where I am, I will kill you." She didn't say a word as she walked out the door. Wolf heard a horse run away from the house.

The door opened once again. Wolf knew the men had heard the argument but she wasn't going to bring it up. Candy sat down beside her on the couch as she rocked Bear. He didn't say a word, simply ran a finger down the baby's cheek.

"Let me take him up to bed." Joe said softly.

She let him take her son and sat back on the couch. She felt Candy's arm tighten on her shoulders. Ben sat on the coffee table in front of her.

"I don't know what the argument was about and I really don't care. It's your personal business. Where is your sister going?" he asked a few seconds later.

"My best guess is she is going to meet with the war party. She will tell them where we are and you'll be facing a war." She replied.

"That's why she took the mare."

"That mare won't make it very far. She's old and will need to be watered every couple of hours." Candy said.

"Not to make things worse, Pa, but this just came in from the telegram office." Hoss said as he walked in the house.

Ben took the slip of paper his son handed him and read it. "Enlighten me. What was your stepfather's name?"

"Walter Haynes."

He sighed. "Walter Haynes was just spotted in Carson City three days ago headed this way."

Wolf stood and paced to the kitchen table. "I have no doubt that he will get here first. He will attack before the war party can."

"He's one man." Joe said.

"One man who took out a Sioux chief; a warrior who trained all his life. What does that say?"

"It says he's a scared man who has to go after women to make himself feel better."

"We won't let him touch you or Bear." Candy said as he jumped up off the couch. "That's a promise."

Wolf looked at the men willing to help her and her son. Bear started crying upstairs. Joe ran up them and soon brought the little boy back down. When he saw Candy, the baby reached for him. Candy took him and nestled him in the crook of his arm. That small scene brought tears to her eyes.

"No, no, no. don't cry." Candy complained. He moved closer until she stopped him. "What is it?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing. I always thought Red Feather would protect his son. But here you are, a white man, protecting a child and a woman who do not belong to you. It's different but refreshing."

"You're always protected while you're on the Ponderosa." Ben said.

"Thank you."

"Mr. Cartwright, lunch is ready." Hop Sing said.

The small family unit sat down to a very delicious meal.


	7. Chapter 7

Wolf stared out over the lake. She had told Hop Sing that she was going for a ride and needed him to watch Bear. She had swung up on Wind and left the ranch house. She had stopped when she came across Lake Tahoe.

So much had happened in the last two months it was hard to keep track of it all.

One moment she was safe within the tribe with her son and husband and the next, her husband was dead and she a captive, her son screaming beside her. After two weeks of running with the man that had tried to control her life from the moment he stepped into it, she finally took her captive out and fled with her son and sister.

That same night they had come across the Ponderosa. There was a coyote on the land. That had freaked the horse out and it had bucked, throwing her. She had fallen, hitting her back on some rocks and messing it up pretty badly. She had known she couldn't stop so she had continued on until they found a house. She vaguely remembered someone calling to her in a friendly voice and then yelling for someone when she collapsed.

When she woke up, a white doctor was looking her over as her sister stood close by. The men who took them in were gentle and good. They allowed them to move about freely when she was up to moving. Her son had been the most versatile. He had taken up with one them and followed him around the house, jabbering as he went. They all laughed at him because he was like a little lamb.

After she was able to move with the least amount of pain, she took a job taming a wild stallion that had a free spirit. After a few days, he was now her friend and constant companion when she was out on the range. They talked often. Actually a horse couldn't talk, but she understood his body language. Now he was bridled and saddled but only by her. No one else could touch him or dared to.

The Ponderosa was a beautiful ranch, one she now lived on and worked. Being a ranch hand was hard work, especially taming the horses but it was fulfilling work. She enjoyed the constant animals around. They now had twenty horses that were getting ready to be sold. She was working hard with them, even to the point she bled.

Under the jeans she now wore were hoof prints from where she'd been kicked. It hadn't been her fault one of the other hands hadn't been careful when he got on the horse she called Breaker. He had bucked too close to the fence railing she had been sitting on and hit her shin. She had toppled off the fence into the corral, causing quite a stir with the other hands, and crawled quickly under the slats to get out. Little Joe and Hoss hadn't been too happy. At the time she had been happy Candy hadn't been around. By the time she got to the house, he had heard and was mad. She had to hold him back from going after the hand.

Candy had become her closest friend and confidant. They spent almost every waking hour together. He came in to see Bear at night and most of the time put him to bed. Candy was now the baby's father and for some reason she was happy about it. Someone was raising her baby like he should be raised. She just didn't know how he felt about it.

Not only was the man her friend, he was quickly becoming something more, which was the exact thing Flying Eagle had feared. Because of all the time they spent together, she was steadily loving him because of the way he treated her and her son. She would never say a word because she didn't want to be named a fool. Plus if they were seen together in town like that, he would be ridiculed. She didn't want to see that.

Wolf looked down at her clothing. She had traded her buckskin for jeans and a shirt. Joe had loaned her a blue riding jacket which was slung across Wind's saddle. Ben had ordered her a pair of boots while Hoss loaned her a gun belt and a revolver. She always braided her hair and wore her Sioux headband but she had changed.

Having a sudden thought, she grabbed Wind's reins and swung into the saddle. Wind knew where she wanted to go and soon they were back at the house. It was lunch time and everyone was sitting at the table talking and eating.

When she walked in, Hop Sing started rambling in Chinese. He started to pull her to the table. She dug her feet in. He pulled harder. It was a game of tug and war.

"I'm not hungry, Hop Sing." She said as he tugged harder on her arm.

The cook let go of her arm and poked her. "You very late. Girl very skinny. You eat. Make Hop Sing very happy." She shook her head. He nodded. Once again she said no. He huffed up and started rambling again, this time angrily.

"Sit down and eat. There's plenty of food considering Bear is upstairs taking a nap." Ben said with a huge smile on his face.

"I'm not hungry."

"What's wrong?" Hoss asked as he cut his chicken into little pieces.

"I'm going into town." She replied matter-of-factly.

The dishes clattered as everyone stopped and looked at her. Joe's shock was very evident as she stood in front of them. Hoss's mouth was open as he stared. Luckily he had swallowed the lump of food he had just taken a bite of. Ben rubbed his eyes tiredly. She hadn't said anything about town since her first visit and they hadn't asked. Candy's response had been enough to let them know not to do it. Now they were all very nervous about her silence.

Candy stared at his plate, his jaw set. "I thought you promised not to go into town alone."

"I'm not. That's why I came in here to tell you. I would have just left but I thought back on that promise. You're welcome to join me but I'm going."

"Why?" Ben asked. It wasn't accusatory. He honestly wanted to know.

"I can't hide out here all the time. If I'm going to live here, I have to be comfortable in town. I won't live afraid anymore."

Ben nodded and stood. "Hop Sing, we're finished with lunch." He shook his head when he heard angry Chinese.

"What are you doing?" Wolf asked as they all headed towards the door.

"If you're going into town, so are we." Joe said. He smiled as he set the hat on his head and walked out the door.

After the others followed the younger son, she turned to the one man left. "Candy?"

"I'm not mad." He replied as he caught the thought in her voice. "I completely understand. You need to know your son's safe here. Well, we're all going to make sure everyone knows where the Cartwrights stand."

She smiled and walked out the door. The others were waiting in their saddles. She nodded at them and swung up into hers then led the way into town.

The ride was calm as calm could be. Candy tried to keep pace but Wind was too fast. Joe and Cochise were happy to ride along beside Buck and Ben. Hoss and Chub brought up the rear, very happy to ride along.

When town came into view, Wolf pulled Wind to a halt. She stared at the buildings as she calmed her nerves. This was her enemy at the moment and she needed to face it sooner rather than later. The men surrounded her and a sudden calm swept over her much like the wind would do on the open plains.

"You ready?" Joe asked. He gave her a moment to think. When he looked at her, she was nodding. "Let's go."

Cochise led the way this time. Wolf held her breath as they entered the town. People instantly started staring. They had no idea what was going on but they knew that if the Cartwrights were involved, it must be something important. Joe stopped in front of the saloon and slid to the ground, tying his horse to the post.

Candy rode up beside her. "Everything okay?"

"It's like they've never seen an Indian woman before." She replied as she turned around.

"Well, they've never seen an Indian woman as pretty as you or dressed like a man carrying a gun." She looked at him and he tipped his head with the face he always made when he knew he was right. It made her smile. "There you go. Smile and they won't have anything to say."

They joined Ben, Joe and Hoss on the porch. They were looked around as the people on the streets were staring at them. Joe patted Wolf's back as she stood beside him. She smiled at him and received a smile in return.

"Where to first?" Ben asked.

"The dress shop and the general store are the places we had the most trouble." Candy said.

"To the dress shop then."

The men made a small circle around the two as they walked down the street. Wolf glanced from side to side to make sure no one was coming after them. No one seemed to dare to come after them because of the Cartwrights.

Wolf stepped into the fabric shop and stopped all traffic inside. She walked over to a light flannel fabric and picked up. "Ma'am, much would I need to make a few shirts for me and my son?"

The clerk lady smiled and ignored her other customer. "You would need at least twenty yards to make a decent outfit. But, dear, wouldn't you like a nice dress?'

"No, ma'am. I'm a ranch hand out at the Ponderosa. I just need a few shirts and maybe some material for new pants."

"Well, if you allow me to get your measurement, I would gladly make them for you."

Wolf smiled. "Thank you. That's very kind of you."

"It's nothing at all. Ben Cartwright is a good friend of mine. I wouldn't mind helping him at all." She reached for the feather hanging from one of the braids. "What a lovely feather."

"Thank you. My late husband gave it to me the night my son was born."

The lady smiled and began picking through a few pieces of flannel material then a few pieces of light material for the pants. Wolf paid for it all and walked out with a promise that it would be ready in a week. The others were looking out at the general store. Jeb and his men were standing there blocking the way.

Candy turned when she stepped up beside him. "Still have those knives on you?"

She let her eyes fall on Jeb. He was staring at her with a sick grin. "That's the last place to go."

"Jeb's going to cause a scene." Hoss said as they stepped into the street.

"What do you want to do?" Candy asked. He laughed when Wolf's hand slipped to the blade at her right hip. "Well, that answers that question." He stepped up on the porch and tipped his hat. "Afternoon, gentlemen." Jeb stepped in his way. "Oh, come on. What's with this?"

"We told you last time. Squaw's aren't allowed in here." Jeb replied.

"And I told you last time not to call her that."

"Just what we need. The Cartwrights protecting a squaw. Let me guess. There's a baby brave at home and one of you boys is taking care of it."

Candy stepped into him. "You be careful of what you say about my son."

Wolf looked at him in shock. So this was how he felt. He felt as if Bear was his flesh and blood son. She wasn't going to argue about it. She looked back at the men in front of them. They were seething now. Apparently a white man adopting a red man's baby was enough to get them riled.

"You dare to claim a red baby as your own?" Jeb asked.

"Yes, and I dare to claim this woman as my wife as well."

That made everyone look at him. Candy claiming this was as if a red man claimed a white woman for his wife.

Jeb had had enough of that. He attacked Candy. Both men went sprawling into the dust. Joe and Hoss jumped into the fray instantly as Ben and Wolf stood on the side watching the young men fight. They looked at each other for a few moments before looking back at the fight.

Sheriff Coffey showed up a few minutes later. He and the deputy forced all the men away from each other and looked between them. Candy had a busted lip, Joe's hair was a mess, and Hoss was heaving. Jeb was bleeding from his right eye, one man was sitting on the ground and the other was holding his hand (Hoss had stepped on it in the middle of the fight).

"What's going on here?" Coffey demanded.

"That man attacked me." Jeb said as he pointed to Candy.

"That man insulted my wife and son." Candy retaliated. He wiped the blood from his lip and sniffed.

Coffey looked at Ben and Wolf. "Is this the truth?"

"We were going in the general store when they blocked our path. Insults were exchanged." Ben replied.

"Did Jeb insult the girl and her child?"

"Yes, he did."

"Get up, Jeb."

Jeb looked shocked. "But, Sheriff, I was just defending myself."

"Not from what I heard and saw the other day. You attacked them then and I wouldn't be surprised if you attacked them now. So come on. Let's go."

He turned around and looked at Candy. "Trust me, Canaday. I will get you back for this."

Candy waved his hand in response to that and turned back to the general store. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get something for that lip." Wolf said. Candy climbed the stairs and walked into the general store with her.

Joe and Hoss joined Ben on the porch. "Did we hear Candy right when he said Wolf was his wife and Bear his son?" Joe asked.

"Yes, we heard him right. I guess we'll have to make it right. Once people find out that it was a lie, they really will be after Candy for fighting Jeb." Ben replied.

"Well, I say we call Coffey out to the ranch this afternoon to make it legal." Hoss suggested.

"You head over there. We'll meet you at the saloon. Those two will be a while. Don't let Jeb hear you talking about it."

Hoss nodded and they split up. Joe went to the saloon, Ben went to the jeweler and Hoss went to find the sheriff.


	8. Chapter 8

**In Town**

A man walked into the saloon and stood at the bar. He was tall and had shaggy hair. It was as if he had been on the road for some time and hadn't had the chance to shave or change clothes. He stood beside the barkeep and listened.

"Yeah. Heard the Cartwrights' ranch hand went ahead and married him a squaw. They say he adopted her little brave. Now they all living on the Ponderosa. Both are now ranch hands for Ben." Someone said.

Another conversation went like this: "Canaday got himself a fine piece of Indian, although she dresses like a man. She's stout and can tame horses from what I hear. Did you see that stallion she was riding the day before yesterday when she and Canaday followed Hoss into town? He's a fine piece of horse. I'd love to have him."

The man paid for his drink and stepped out of the saloon. He got directions to the Ponderosa and set out.

**On the Ponderosa**

Wolf and Candy sat on a table cloth with a picnic basket as Bear played before them. The little boy was chasing a butterfly in the fading light as his parents watched him.

It had been a week since Candy had eaten his words. Sheriff Coffey had come out to the ranch and married the man to his Indian bride. Joe, Ben, and Hoss had been the witnesses to the little wedding. Hop Sing had made a big dinner in celebration.

Wolf spun the little gold ring around her right middle finger. Ben had surprised Candy by having it at the wedding. Candy had been smiling widely as he slid it on her finger. He had been even happier when he was allowed to sleep in the ranch house with her in the upstairs room.

Bear laughed as he chased the butterfly. Then he promptly fell face first in the grass. He got up, shook his head, and started laughing as he ran again. Wolf and Candy laughed at their son's masculinity. He was all boy.

Candy rolled over, propped his head in his hand, and looked at Wolf. His wife was wearing her buckskin with the feather in her hair. She was beautiful as she watched their son play. She seemed happier since they had been married. It was almost like her entire world had been made complete.

It was really good for him. She still worked on the Ponderosa and made sure they weren't given special treatment because they were now married. They still worked as hard as they had when they first met. Hop Sing still watched out for Bear while they were out working. On more than one occasion that had come in and the cook was chasing the toddler around the house because he had something the cook needed in the kitchen. They laughed sometimes until it hurt to laugh anymore. Hop Sing would look at them before he disappeared back into the kitchen with his Chinese going full force.

The nights hadn't changed. They all gathered for supper and then for a little coffee. Candy sometimes read to Bear to get him to go to sleep. If that didn't work, he played with him until it was time for him to go to bed. Most of the time, the little boy had been playing all day long and was dead tired. He would pass out after supper then Candy would carry him upstairs to his crib.

Wolf laid on her back and looked at him. He smiled at her. this was how it was with them. they were very comfortable, so comfortable it didn't matter who saw them.

"I was thinking." He said.

"Uh-oh. Every time you and Little Joe say that, it always means trouble." She replied. He made a face that made her laugh. "Go on."

"Mr. Cartwright has always told me if there was anything I needed to just ask."

"Yes, he's said the same thing to me."

"Well, I want to build a house right here. I want to be able to overlook the lake any time. We're not far from the main house and the corral is just over the hill. We could always be to work on time."

"Are you saying you don't like the ranch house?"

"No, I'm not saying that at all. I like it. The Cartwrights are good people and I love Hop Sing's cooking. But when a man gets married he wants his own house for his family." Wolf laughed at him. "What?"

"You can't have this land."

"Why not?"

"Because I already bought and paid for it. Ben said we could start building whenever."

Candy stared at her for a moment before he laughed and grabbed her, rolling her on to her back. "My wife. My Indian." Then he kissed her. Bear cried happily then jumped both of them. candy grabbed his hat as he turned over. "Looks like little man doesn't like this."

"I know what's wrong with him. He needs a little tickling."

Both jumped at the toddler, Candy grabbing him and Wolf tickling him all the while he squirmed and laughed.

After a little bit they gathered their picnic items and headed back to the ranch house. Bear ran in front of the couple. Every now and then, Bear would turn around to make sure they were following him and then continue on. He beat them back to the house and was swept up by Joe as he ran onto the porch.

"Hey, Little Man. You running away from your Ma and Pa again?" he asked. The boy squirmed in his arms as he tried to get free.

"He's just eaten and thinks he needs to run." Candy said. He tweaked his son's nose.

"Well, we don't need another Hoss."

"I heard that, little brother." Hoss said as he came out of the house. "Wolf, there's someone here to see you."

Wolf frowned and headed into the house. Candy followed after her. he looked at her when she stopped short in the doorway and he ran into her. her face was stony so he looked at the fire place. There was man standing with Ben.

"Wolf, come here please." Ben asked. She didn't move and her face never changed. Candy tried to push her forward but she dug her feet in and stayed where she was. Ben knew something was wrong then. "Candy, this is Mr. Haynes. Mr. Haynes, this is Candy Canaday my top ranch hand."

Candy extended his hand and shook the other man's hand. Even though he knew who he was, he was going to play dumb. "It's good to meet you. What are you here for?"

"I came here to see my daughter. You'll know her as Flying Eagle. She came this way a few months ago. Unfortunately we were separated on our way to California. I've been looking for her for the last two months." Wolf made an unladylike sound in the back of her throat. Candy jerked her hand hard. Mr. Haynes saw that quickly. "You wouldn't happen to have seen her, would you?"

"I can't say we have. The only woman with a Indian background is Wolf there."

Mr. Haynes turned his gaze to the Indian woman. They obviously knew each other and the stare down was lethal. Little Joe and Hoss felt it when they walked in the house. Bear was laughing and stopped suddenly. If he could recognize hostility in a room, anyone could.

"You look so much like her." Haynes said. He looked her over, forcing her hand to tense up in Candy's. "That feather. I recognize it. Was your father a Sioux Indian?"

"Cut the crap, Haynes. They know who you are and they know why you're here." Wolf said.

"Then I'll let them know that I'm your legal guardian."

"Not anymore." Candy said. He jerked Wolf in front of him and held her to him by throwing an arm over her chest. "Just you try to take her. I will kill you."

"That would be murder and murdering a girl's father is immoral."

"You're not her father." Ben said. "We've heard the entire story. We know you killed the Sioux chief. If you think we're going to let you take her anywhere, you are sadly mistaken."

"You can't keep her or the child from me. They are rightfully mine."

Ben decided to crowd the man. "You will not touch one hair on the girl's or the baby's head. If you do, you will be hunted down like a dog. Do I make myself clear?"

Mr. Haynes looked around the room at all the men who were willing to protect the girl. He saw the baby turned away from him in one of the man's shoulders. "You have not seen the last of me." He stormed past everyone and out the door.

Wolf's knees gave way. Luckily Candy was standing there with her. she leaned heavily against him and tried to catch her breath. Joe passed Bear off to Ben and came beside her. he took the picnic stuff from Candy and returned it to the kitchen. He came back with a cup of tea.

"Are you going to be okay?" Hoss asked.

Wolf nodded as she sat down. "He's not going to stop until he has me and Bear. He'll get me through Bear. That's going to be his target."

"What if he comes after you directly?" Joe asked.

"He won't. he'll come at me through someone I'm close to. That's always his style. That's how he got Red Feather. One night Flying Eagle and I were walking with Bear through the woods when she asked me to follow her somewhere. It was right into a trap. Haynes and Flying Eagle orchestrated the entire thing. She helped kill Red Feather then blamed it on Haynes when the tribe found us."

"Now she's gone for the war party." Candy said. He bit his thumbnail in agitation. "Everything's falling on top of us. In a week, the war party will be here and Haynes just shows up. What are we going to do?"

"We're going to turn them against each other." Ben said. They all looked at him for an explanation. "If we can get the tribe to listen to Wolf, we can get them to turn against Haynes."

"They already have a grudge against him." Wolf said.

"Exactly." They all looked at him like he had lost his ever loving mind. "If they find out that you're here and Haynes is on your trail, what will they do?"

"They'll attack anyone and everyone they find. I've seen them do it for lesser wives. This one will be ten times the manslaughter of the others."

"Is there any way to convince them that you living with me is the best thing?" Candy asked.

He was scared to death about losing his family. He had been married once and that had been annulled because he thought the other man was a nut case. In actuality he was the nut case for thinking he had a shot with that woman. She was now happily married and he thought he envied that. Now he understood what it felt like to care for someone absolutely and not care about himself. He was not letting this woman or her baby out of his sight whether she was Indian or not.

Wolf turned those dark eyes on him and he already knew the answer. He stood and paced away from her. "Isn't there some way? Some way at all?" He was begging.

"I don't know. I've never heard of a war party going for an Indian woman who married a white man. I have no idea what they'll do." She replied.

Ben shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "We have to figure something out. There's no way these boys will sit back and watch as you and your baby are hauled off to live with another group of people they do not know. and to be completely honest, I'm not sure I can sit back and let that happen either."

Wolf stood and walked to the fire. She took the poker off the rack and stuck it in the fire. Not saying a word, she pulled it out and stuck it against her arm. candy jumped over the table and snatched it from her hands. she looked at him when he gave her a questioning look.

"I don't want to go back. I thought once I married Red Feather I'd be married forever. I had a son and I was happy. Then that man destroyed that and took me from my tribe. I thought I'd be unhappy forever. And I wake up in this lovely house with all of you waiting for me to get better. I found my family and I would rather die than go back to the tribe where I would become another brave's squaw." There was fire in her eyes as she talked. She was dead serious.

Ben looked at his sons. They were grim-faced because they believed every word she said. She wasn't on to lie often or if at all. Joe walked into the kitchen and returned with a bowl of warm water. He sat down to clean her arm and then wrap it.

"You can't work on that arm." he said.

"I'll be fine. I've worked with a broken arm before." She replied. When Joe was done, she tucked it against her stomach. "I don't want to go anywhere and I don't want my son taken from me."

Candy kneeled in front of her and took her hands. "He will not take our son from us. For the last two months I have raised that boy. He's mine and I'm his. I won't see him raised by some other man." He forced her to look at him. "You are my wife and I will not see another man with you." She moved away from him, first to Hoss to get Bear and then up the stairs. When he heard the door shut, Candy kicked the table. "What am I going to do, Mr. Cartwright?"

"You're going to go up those stairs and talk to your wife. She's scared, Candy. She doesn't know what to do. You have to make sure she knows you're going to stand beside her like you say you are." Ben replied.

Candy took a moment to let that sink in before he nodded. He took the stairs two at a time and turned the corner to his room. He knocked to make sure she knew it was him in case she was changing. When he opened the door, it was quiet and the lights were out. He looked at the crib. Bear was asleep and snoring happily.

When he turned to their bed, his throat constricted. Wolf was laying on her side curled up in a little ball. Her shoulder were shaking and he knew she was crying. He kicked his boots off and crawled into bed. When he wrapped her in his arms, she grabbed his wrists.

"Don't say anything, please." She whispered.

He kissed the back of her head and moved closer. "I won't."

They slept like that, comfortable and calm.


	9. Chapter 9

Wolf sat atop Wind and watched the men as they bridled the horses for sale. She was tired. Ever since Haynes had dropped by the house she had been extremely paranoid. She wouldn't leave the house until she made sure he wasn't looking at her from somewhere around the house. Bear wasn't allowed outside. That made the baby so unhappy but she wasn't giving up on that.

Ever since that night she had been distant from her husband. Candy had been understanding. He would simply hold her while she shook in the middle of the night. When Bear cried in the middle of the night, he got up with him. He was being really good.

But it wasn't enough.

Wolf had a bad feeling and since she was Indian, she went with those feelings. Something was going to happen. Everyone thought it was going okay because it had been quiet for the last few days, but she knew better. She knew Haynes was lying in wait and that the war party was days away from a surprise attack. The two months was quickly coming on three and at the end of that, things were going to get bad.

She noticed Ben was waving to her from the bottom of the hill so she nudged Wind into action. He trotted down the hill, throwing his head happily. She looked down at the man as he looked up at her. He tipped his hat to her then looked her horse up and down.

"Mr. Thompson, this is my wrangler Wolf Canaday. Wolf, this is Mr. Thompson the man who's buying the horses you tamed." Ben said.

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Canaday." Thompson said.

"You too, Mr. Thompson." Wolf replied.

"This is a fine looking stallion, ma'am. I was wondering if you would be willing to sell him."

"No, sir. He's not for sale." She stared at him.

"You must want to make a fortune on him."

"What part of he's not for sale don't you understand?" She was irritated and it showed in her body language and her voice.

"Mr. Thompson, I gave her that horse. He's not for sale." Ben answered. "Wolf, there's some work that needs to be done at the barn. Could you go do that, please?"

"Sure, Mr. Cartwright." She turned the horse around and rode up the hill.

The only person at the barn when she arrived was Little Joe. He was making a shoe for Cochise. The horse had thrown his right front shoe when he was on the range and came limping home. Joe had to stable him until he could get to the point where he could stable him.

He was hammering away on the iron shoe when she slid off Wind and started unsaddling him. The horse went directly to his stall and began munching on hay. When she turned around, Joe was smiling.

"What?" she snapped.

He shook his head. "Nothing. Wish my horse would do that. If I unsaddled him, he'd run back into the corral and carouse with the other horses."

"That's Cochise for you." He made a noise in the back of his throat as he continued to work. "Hey, Joe, what do you know about the man your father's selling the horses?"

"Mr. Thompson? Ah, well, he's an old friend of Pa's and has been buying horses from us for a long time. Why?"

"There's just something about him I don't like. He tried to buy Wind from me."

"He knows good horses and Wind is a good horse." He looked over when she didn't answer. "What are you thinking about?"

"It's nothing. I could be paranoid."

"What is it?"

"I was in town with Hoss the other day to pick up more fabric for Bear and I thought I saw Haynes following us."

"Did you tell Hoss or Pa?"

"No. I didn't think it was anything to worry about. We were in town and no one dares to come after us since that little incident before Candy and I were married."

"You need to tell us these things or we can't keep you and Bear safe."

She sighed. "I know."

Joe tugged on her braid. "Hey, hand me those tongs."

"I have an idea." He laughed at her. "What?"

"Your ideas always lead to trouble."

"Okay, fine. I'll leave you alone."

"Don't wander all over the Ponderosa alone."

She didn't answer him as she walked away from the stable. Hoss was working on the buck board wheel because it had fallen off and needed to be fixed. Candy was out riding the range and Hop Sing was in the house with the baby cooking lunch. There was nothing for her to do. She glanced over her shoulder at Joe and smiled.

**That evening**

Candy slid off his horse and tied it the post before walking into the house. Bear met him at the door crying. He scooped his son up and started to quiet him. He turned towards the dining room. Joe was standing up and Hoss was sitting in front of the fire. Ben was sitting at the table staring at a piece of paper.

"What's going on?" he asked.

None of them answered. It was silence in the room. No one wanted to talk because no one wanted to say anything. Joe looked at his father. Ben nodded.

"Wolf's gone missing." He said quietly.

"What?" The statement didn't sink in.

"She came back to the house and stabled Wind. When I went to look for her, she was gone. We've rode the fences to see if we could find her. Nothing."

Candy moved on shaky legs and sat down on the couch. Bear curled into his side and cried silently. He knew his mother was gone and he didn't know why. He missed her. She was usually home by now and that schedule had been messed up. He allowed Hop Sing to pick him up and carry him into the kitchen.

"When did you see her?" he asked.

"It was a little after one. Pa sent her up to the house after a confrontation with Thompson wanting to buy Wind. She turned him down harshly then came to the house. I joked with her for a bit and then asked her not to go out on her own. After that I didn't see her again."

"It's my fault." Ben said. "I told her to go back to the stable and do some work. I had nothing for her to do but she went anyway. I should have let her argue with Thompson."

"She was already angry, Pa. it just would have made her madder." Hoss said.

"I should have kept her with me."

"It wouldn't have done any good. She's Sioux. If she wanted to leave, she would have anyway." Candy replied. He was thinking hard of where she could have gone. "Is there any way we can look tonight?"

"No. It's too dark. We'll have to start looking tomorrow."

Candy didn't like that but he didn have a choice but to listen. He went to get his son and headed upstairs without eating dinner.

**Somewhere on the Ponderosa**

Wolf woke up and looked around. She had no idea where she was. Some of the surroundings looked familiar but it wasn't enough for her to tell. She looked all around but there was nothing. Then she realized she was in a pit.

As she looked around that pit, she knew why she was all wet. The pit was filled with water up to her shins. She could sit in the water and she could walk through it but she couldn't get out. There was no way without any help.

She tried to remember how she had gotten there. The last thing she remembered was walking the trail that led from the house to the place where she and Candy were going to build their house. It was near the lake and that was one of her favorite places. She remembered standing by a tree. After that, it was all blank.

That meant she had been hit across the head and tossed into the pit. As she felt the back of her head, she could feel the bump. As she was doing that, she noticed her feather was missing. Whoever had taken her had ripped the feather from her hair. That was dishonoring to her late husband.

But there was nothing she could do but sit and wait for someone to come along and figure out what was going on and who would get to her first.


	10. Chapter 10

There was splash that woke Wolf up. She moved from the corner she was huddled in to help whoever it was.

Imagine her surprise when it turned out to be Candy pulling his body from the cold murky water. He shook his head and grabbed his hat as he looked up to the top of the pit. He groaned and looked around.

When his eyes stalled on her, he sighed and treaded water to get to her. The water level had risen in the last several days. Instead of being at her shins, it was now up to her thighs. There were some areas where she could sit without drowning but they were few and far between.

Candy's arms went around her and his body heat started to soak through her wet clothes. It made her shiver against him. His breath was warm against the back of her neck as he hugged her tightly.

"No wonder we couldn't find you." He whispered.

"How did you find me?" she asked, her teeth chattering the entire time.

"I rode fences most of the morning. Mr. Cartwright told me after I did that I could begin my search. How long have you been in this cistern?"

"Three days and every day the water rises higher and higher."

"It's fed through an underwater spring. This is our back up well. No wonder we didn't think of using it. It's about half a mile from the house." He rubbed her arms to warm her up. "Unfortunately I'm as soak as you. I have no way of warming you up."

She let her head drop to his shoulder. She didn't care if he was as wet as she was. He was here and that's all that mattered.

Suddenly a though hit her hard and she looked back at him, hitting the top of her head on his chin in the process.

"What about Bear?" she asked.

"He's fine. He's with Hop Sing. Joe and Hoss said that man can defend himself. He won't let anything happen to our son." Candy replied. "Now stop talking. You're going to get colder if you do."

Wolf moved into the corner she had been sitting in sat on the muddy incline. Candy followed her and the two huddled together for warmth. This was going to be a long day of cold and from the slight smells she could get, it was going to rain tonight, making the water level rise even more. This could be a very dangerous night for the two of them.

"These clothes won't keep us warm through the night." She said.

"And neither will taking them off. We're much better off not moving or talking as much." He replied.

She didn't say another word as she shivered against him.

**Later that night**

Joe looked out the window as the storm howled outside. Candy had ridden out earlier in the afternoon in search of his wife. His horse had returned right before the storm hit, but Candy wasn't on him. In those few hours since then, neither hide nor hair of the man or his wife could be found.

Bear was staring into the fire. He had been restless since the early afternoon. His mother had been missing for the last three days and he knew it. Now his father was missing. This was not something he could understand but he knew the warmth that was usually associated with the house had been extinguished.

He wasn't the happy baby he had been just three days before. He didn't cry but he didn't laugh either. Lately he'd been climbing on the dining table chairs to look out the window. There was no doubt in the Cartwrights' minds that this little boy was looking for the mother he loved. They all knew Wolf wouldn't desert her son, not after bringing him so far west and then marrying someone who loved him for who he was.

The Cartwrights felt the lost of the woman's presence. She knew how to light up a room and make everyone smile without doing much. The spot on the couch where she usually sat at night making a dream catcher was strangely empty without her body there.

Joe walked over to the couch and picked up the piece of circular wood with twine running along it. He felt the beads and feathers along the twine and the one that fell in a tassel.

"What are we going to do now, Pa? Candy's missing too." Hoss asked the question his little brother had been afraid to ask.

"We'll ride into town tomorrow and gather a few men to help ride the Ponderosa." Ben replied.

"What makes you think they're still on the Ponderosa?" Joe asked.

"Candy's horse came from the north 40. That means Haynes has them somewhere on the Ponderosa."

"I can't think of anything he could use to hide them out there." Hoss said.

"There are a few caves and alcoves we should look at, hence the reason we need a few more men."

"What about the other ranch hands?"

"I won't risk losing them in another of Haynes traps. We go into town and get Roy and some others."

"So in other words you want us to stay away from the north 40 tomorrow?" Joe asked.

"At least until I can get back with Roy."

There was a loud clap of thunder that made the windows rattle. "I hope they're not out in this."

**North 40**

Wolf ducked her head at the loud clap of thunder that sounded as if it were overhead. Trying to keep from getting wet was not going very well. The rain pounded down on them in the open cistern and stung like bullets. As the water rose, they had to start swimming. To make matters worse, they were now buck naked trying to stay afloat.

If this had been any other time, Candy would have been getting ready to go after his wife but this was not the right time. He watched as his clothes floated next to him. There was no doubt in his mind that he would lose them because they would get so saturated they would sink.

Wolf sputtered water as she broke through the water. Her legs were getting tired and there was nothing to hold on to besides Candy. He was having a hard time as well. The water was cold and getting colder as rain hammered down and made the level rise even more. She was still surprised he had ordered her to strip to nothing. That seemed like it was even worse than being in wet clothes, but she found out she was surprisingly warmer.

Candy grabbed a root that was protruding from the dirt wall and held on. "Wolf, come here." She swam over to him as best she could. "Hold on to me. Maybe we'll be warmer and not have to swim as much."

"Candy, your arms will give out." She argued. Her teeth were still chattering and that made her hard to understand.

"Just get over here woman." She didn't argue this time. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on. "Wrap your legs around me as well." He felt her legs slip around his waist then he wrapped his free arm around her snugly. "You know, if this were any other time, I would have been going for something."

"I know."

"Don't go to sleep on me." He heard the drowsiness in her voice.

"I'm so tired."

"If you go to sleep on me, you will never wake up. Stay awake. Joe and Hoss will be here shortly."

"How do you know?"

"My horse would have made it back by now. They'll know I'm with you and that we're both in trouble."

"How will they know where we are?"

"I'm not sure but they'll find us." He felt her warm breath against his chilled neck. "What is it?"

"I heard war drums."

That made his blood turn cold, colder than it was already. War drums meant only one thing. The Sioux had arrived in Nevada. They would ask one person as they went through the towns and once they found the people they were looking for, there would be no one safe from them. The only person who could stop them was clinging onto him for dear life.

His hand slipped and they went into the cold water. He launched out of the water and grabbed for the root again, coughing water from his lungs as he held on again.

"I don't know how much more strength I have." He heard her whisper.

"Don't give up. Please. For our son if for nothing else." He felt her nod against his chin. He sent up a nice, silent prayer that someone would find them soon.


	11. Chapter 11

**Ranch House**

"Pa, something's wrong with Wind." Hoss said the next morning as he came into the house from saddling all the horses.

Ben got up and went outside. There was a loud noise coming from the stable. As he entered, he saw the black stallion going crazy in his stall. He had been fed and watered so nothing should be bothering him.

Ben walked over and unlatched the door. Wind hit the door with his front hooves and threw it open. He bolted out and headed for the north 40.

"Joe, follow that horse. If I'm right, he'll lead you directly to our missing ranch hands. We'll follow as soon as Roy and the others get here."

Joe swung up into his saddle and spurred Cochise after the racing black stallion.

**North 40**

Candy roused himself as he heard what sounded like horse steps. He looked up as a rope was lowered into the cistern. There was a face looking over the edge of the pit at him. He couldn't make it out in his tired state plus the sun was shining brightly in his eyes. They said something he couldn't hear and motioned for him to take the rope. He looped the end around wrist and tugged to let whoever was know he was ready.

His free arm still wrapped tightly around his wife's clammy skin, he was hoisted into the air. When the cool air hit his wet skin, he shivered. He didn't realize how cold he actually was until he got out of the water.

Wolf was still wrapped tightly around him as his body was dragged over the edge of the cistern. He rolled onto his side to protect her as he tried to figure out who was his savior.

That's when he saw them.

It was the war party. They were holding their Sioux spears out, ready for an attack he might try. They should have known he wouldn't try anything. One because he was naked and didn't have a weapon on him and two because he had his wife to think about.

Ignoring the disgusted looks on their faces, he wiped the water from his face and leaned over Wolf. She was shivering badly. He had only been in that cistern for a day and a night. She had been in there for three days. She had a right to be cold. He looked up.

"Please help us." He asked kindly.

"Why should we help a white man?" the one who helped them asked. He was obviously the leader.

"This is Running Wolf. She was the wife of your chief Red Feather."

"Why do you have her?"

"She came to me for help. I couldn't turn her away."

"Where's her feather?"

"I don't know. She was wearing it last time I saw her. I won't lie. I married her, but she wore that feather as a tribute to her dead Indian husband."

"And her son?"

"I'm raising him. Please help her. She'll die if you don't."

They all looked at the woman on the ground and then at each other. They were talking when Wolf came to. She opened her eyes and looked around. She tried to get up but her legs gave way. Candy grabbed her and held her to him.

"I'm cold." She said.

"I know. I'm right here." He replied. He looked up at the Indians that were still standing over them. "Please help us."

The Indians looked amongst each other. Finally one grabbed a blanket from the back of his horse and tossed it to them. Candy didn't care that his personal business was out in the open; the only person who mattered at the moment was Wolf. He wrapped the blanket around her and picked her up. The generous Sioux let him have his horse so he wouldn't have to walk.

**Ranch House**

"Everyone's here, Pa." Joe said as he sat atop Cochise.

"Okay. Two of our ranch hands have been captured by a madman. We need to find them. Candy's horse came back alone." Ben said.

"Ben, you have a lot of land to look through." Sheriff Coffey said.

"He came from the north 40. There are plenty of caves and alcoves where people can hide. We need to look everywhere."

"Is there any way we can find them easier?"

"Not that I know of."

Sheriff Coffey rubbed his head. "That's asking a lot, Ben."

"I know but I wouldn't ask this if I didn't mean it." Sheriff Coffey nodded. "Let's go."

The small posse spurred their horses into action. Ben took one group into the highlands and Hoss took the others into the bogs.

**Somewhere on the Ponderosa**

Candy took a hot bowl of broth and carried it across the fire to Wolf. She sat huddled in a blanket to keep warm. Her hair was now wavy because of the wet braids. She was still shivering but that was common for someone suffering from hypothermia.

He sat down and adjusted the deerskin breeches he had been loaned. She still had no clothes because she wasn't warm or dry enough. He had to help her sip the broth before he nestled under the thick blanket beside her, loaning her his body heat. He pulled her into his lap so it would be easily distributed.

The Indians looked at the young couple curled together by the fire. They had intended to bring that woman and her baby to their rightful home but watching that white man risk his life for an Indian proved not all white men were bad. This one had taken to raising a baby that wasn't his own.

Wolf stared into the fire. The blanket she was under was warm, but the man next to her added extra warmth. His skin was soft as she remembered and he was holding her tightly. His calloused hands rubbed soothing circles on her back. There were two things that were missing to make this a lovely fire: their own land and their son.

She never realized she missed her home until she had been taken away from it. The Ponderosa was her home much more than the tribe had ever been. It was the place where her son could run and play and not worry about people hurting him. He had animals he could pet and feed and chase around. He had three uncles who loved him and a Chinese cook who thought the world of him. Last but not least, he had a father who would teach him how to grow up as a gentleman instead of a Sioux warrior. She would never let him forget who his real father was and what he was born from, but she would not let him be a warrior.

Candy sighed into her hair. "I thought I lost you."

"I had always planned to come back." She replied. "How's Bear?"

"He has been quiet the last few days. He knows you haven't been there even though I try to tell him you're coming home soon. He knows."

"He's a Sioux. Of course he knows. How did you find me?"

"I spotted a fire a mile away from the fence I was running. When I came up, there was no one there. Then I saw the shelter made into the trees. I knew it was Haynes and your sister. Then I was hit over the head and tossed into that cistern where you were. How were you caught?"

"I was following a deer I found while walking the fields. I was going to kill it and bring to Hop Sing for dinner. Before I could, I was hit in the back of the head. When I woke up, I was in the cistern. No one gave me anything to eat or drink. I was starving when you found me."

"My best guess would be they were trying to get you to say you would go back. Obviously you made them angrier than you thought because you never said a word."

"I knew I'd be rescued. I just didn't know when."

He tightened his arms. "You're safe now."

"You might not be. I wasn't awake to tell the leaders anything about you."

"They know who I am. They know I'm your husband." She jerked up, knocking the top of her head into his chin. He grabbed it as the blanket slipped down from his shoulders. "What was that for?"

"You told them we were married?"

"Yes."

"And what did they say?"

"Nothing much after I told them you would die if we didn't get you some help."

"You scared them?"

"I did what I had to do to make sure you got help." She pulled the other end of the blanket all the way her body. "They haven't done anything to me at all. They were too worried about you to do anything."

Their attention was caught by the leaders of the war party coming towards them. One stood tall and proud. The other stood a little ways behind him in case he needed to attack.

"Stand, young one." candy disengaged his arm from the other end of the blanket and tucked it around her before he pulled her up. "Is what the white man says true? Is he your husband?"

"Yes." She replied.

"And little one, is he safe?"

"Yes, he's safe. The Cartwrights have him at their house a little bit down the way. We're on Ponderosa territory."

The Indians began to talk amongst themselves. Wolf lowered her head so she wouldn't have to translate for Candy although she felt he already knew the language. They talked about whether or not to kill the white men raising the chief's son or whether to leave the boy alone and let him be raised by white man. She heard them talking about whether or not to kill her because she had "run away" from the tribe. What they didn't know was she hadn't run. She had been kidnapped.

"Young One, why did you not come back to tribe?" the leader asked again.

"I couldn't."

"She was kidnapped." Candy snapped.

"Candy, no."

"Is what white man say true?"

She looked at Candy. He was trying to get her to talk about it but she really didn't want to. When he nodded, she shook her head.

"Yes, what I say is true. She was kidnapped after Red Feather was killed." Candy said, stepping into their space. Wolf grabbed his arm to keep him from making a mistake.

"You dare speak of our late chief with such disdain." The other leader replied hotly.

"I speak the truth. Red Feather was killed because Flying Eagle and her father Walter Haynes orchestrated the entire thing. They killed Red Feather and took his wife and son. I found them when they came to the Ponderosa. They have been safe with me and the Cartwrights ever since. If you want to kill someone, kill Haynes."

"Haynes has eluded us for months."

"He's been here." Wolf said. They all looked at her. "He's been here. He's the one that threw us into the cistern to die. He knows where Bear is."

"We need a horse." Candy demanded.

"No, you don't." Everyone turned when they heard the familiar or unfamiliar voice. Little Joe came to a halt with Wind following right behind him. "I saw the fire in the distance."

Wind came over to Wolf and nuzzled her cheek. She petted him and the grabbed his mane. Candy boosted her onto the horse's back when she had trouble. He grabbed her wrist when she leaned down to help him up.

"Pa and Hoss have groups searching for you." Joe said.

"Thanks." Wolf turned to the others. "If you want to get Haynes as bad as I do, you will come with us back to the ranch house and we can decide this with the law."

"Will white man's law give us the man who killed our chief?" the leader asked.

"I'm not sure, but if I put in a good word for you, I'm sure they'll consider it." Once again the Indians conferred about it in their own language. After a few moments, they nodded. "Thank you."

"We do it because we all respected Red Feather. As his wife, we respect you and your new husband. We will follow you."

"Let's go then." Joe said. He kicked Cochise into movement and the war party followed the ranch hands.


	12. Chapter 12

Ben saw all the horses tethered to his hitching post as he rode back to his house. Wind was throwing his head as he stood to the side. He knew they were home because Cochise was also tethered outside.

He slid off Buck and handed him to Hoss to put away. He went into his house. Four Indians sat around his living room talking with Little Joe and Candy. Wolf was nowhere to be seen and Bear was happily bouncing in Candy's arms.

"Where is she?" he asked instantly.

"Upstairs taking a hot bath. She was in the cistern out on the North 40. Haynes threw her in there to get her to give permission to take Bear." Joe said.

"And when she didn't he left her there to drown during the storm." Joe nodded. "Is this the war party?"

"Yes. Mr. Cartwright, these are the chiefs who took over Red Feather's role. This is Growling Bear and White Lightning." Candy said as he moved Bear's hand from his nose. "They pulled us from the cistern this morning and allowed us to dry off and warm up before we came back."

"Did you find Haynes, Pa?" Joe asked.

"No. We thought you would."

"He's probably taken refuge back in town. There's not much we can do there." Sheriff Coffey said.

"He'll be with an Indian woman." All the men looked at the staircase. Bear went berserk in Candy's arms as Wolf came down the staircase. She went straight to him and held him tightly. "She'll be wearing a brown feather with a red tip and a gold band on her left ring finger."

Candy looked down then. "She stole your wedding band?"

"Yes. She was jealous the entire time. Apparently she liked you and was angry you married me."

Joe snorted. "If this wasn't a serious thing it would be funny."

"There's one more thing. Sheriff Coffey, the war party has agreed to help us if they get to take Haynes home and try him for murder."

"They'll kill him." Coffey said.

"So will we. We will convict him and hang him." Hoss said. "Why not let the Indians do it on their own property. I know Wolf wouldn't want to see him hang."

Coffey looked at the woman in question. She was looking at her son. Candy was talking to her about something in quiet terms. She laughed at it without making too much noise.

"I guess I can turn a blind eye. That depends on if they're in town or not."

"Oh, they're in town all right, Sheriff. We can prove it." Joe said.

"How?" Hoss asked.

Joe and Wolf looked at each other then at Candy. He looked between his wife and friend.

"Oh, no. I'm not doing it." He complained. Joe and Wolf just looked at each other and smiled.

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"I can't believe I'm doing this." Candy groaned as he walked into the saloon.

"Sure, you can. You know you love your wife and now that you know her sister has feelings for you, it's time for you to act on those feelings." Joe said. He had accompanied Candy into town to make sure he was going to do what they had decided the night before.

Candy was to make Flying Eagle follow him home. That would make Haynes follow her because at that point he will want to get to the baby. By that time, the entire war party would be ready to take him into their custody.

The only problem was Candy wasn't too thrilled about using his wiles to entice someone who wasn't his wife. Wolf was behind it all the way but he still didn't feel right about doing it.

"Just go for it." Joe shoved his friend into the saloon.

Candy looked back behind him as his friend disappeared. This was not his day. He didn't want to be doing this but he had to so his family was safe.

He looked around the saloon. Everyone was there. They were at their same seats and that made it easier for him to go in and pick out someone. Haynes wasn't there which meant he was at the hotel. As he turned to leave, he saw a shadow move out of the corner of his eye. It was Flying Eagle. She was coming down the stairs and out the back way.

He moved through the saloon quickly and caught up with her. He turned her around and saw the feather in her hair. It was the one Red Feather had given Wolf when they had had Bear.

"No. Stop." She said weakly.

"I've just come to see if you wanted to go to the Ponderosa with me." Candy said.

Flying Eagle looked at him. He knew what was going on. She was trying to see if he was earnest. He was trying to be earnest as much as he possibly could without giving away his true motives.

She smiled brightly. "I would love that."

He took her arm and led her out the front in front of the prying eyes of the posse and the saloon girls. He tipped his hat, his signal at Joe that they were headed to the Ponderosa. Once they were on his horse and headed back towards home, Joe hopped on his horse and rode towards the rendezvous point.

Candy helped Flying Eagle off his horse and walked away with her. She was being as shy as a girl in love, which she might as well be since she had taken her sister's feather. They walked around and talked for a little while. She was a good person but she got caught up in the wrong crowd.

An hour later there were sounds of hooves. She started looking around for an escape route. Although he hated to, Candy pulled his gun on her.

"Don't think about it." He said.

She turned and looked at him. "You wouldn't shoot me."

"You threw your sister into a cistern to let her die."

"And you went in after her."

"She's my wife."

"And I'm her sister. It works that way."

"No, it doesn't. She didn't do anything to you. She even took you when she ran."

"She took me because Father and I had it planned that way. I would follow her and find out where she was living then report it back to him. He would come after her for the baby and then have a bargaining chip."

"What would you do if she didn't go with you?"

"What we did five days ago. We take her and hide her somewhere where no one would ever find her."

"Unfortunately for you I found her and the war party came along."

"You can't do anything to me. I'm royalty."

"No, you're not."

"Drop the gun."

Candy abruptly dropped the gun and turned around with his hands up. Haynes kicked the gun away and yanked Candy to him so he could attempt to tie his hands up. Arrows started flying everywhere. That signified that the war party had arrived. Candy dove out of the way and grabbed his horse's reins. As he leapt into the saddle, Flying Eagle grabbed his ankle.

"Don't leave me here. He'll kill me."

"Oh, they'll do much more than that." Candy said. He yanked the feather out of her hair and the ring off the chain around her neck. "I think these belong to my wife." He smiled then spurred his horse on.

Joe met him atop the hill. They watched the war party snatch Haynes and Flying Eagle up and haul them away. The two men looked at each other before riding to the ranch.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's** **Note**: This is the final chapter and I have enjoyed writing it. So please leave good reviews.

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**A Year Later**

Candy watched his young family in the front yard of their house. It had been a year since the entire thing had taken place. He had thought he was going to lose his family. His Indian wife would have been taken from him like she was her husband.

He now had a lovely family that consisted of a baby boy that was almost three and new baby girl that was five months old. The girls made his day. His baby was the sweetest baby in the world. She had her mother's hair and dark eyes and acted just like her.

Wolf had started letting her hair down. Literally. She still wore the jeans the seamstress in town had made her and worked the ranch. Hop Sing was a lovely babysitter. He made sure they were fed and taken care of while their parents worked.

Candy could remember the night she had been born just as if it were yesterday. The Cartwrights had graciously allowed them to stay in their house until the baby was born. The doctor had been on call, so when it was time Joe went into town to fetch him. He made it back just in time to get up the stairs. Hop Sing came down mumbling in Chinese and hid in the kitchen with Bear. The rest of the men stayed in the living room listening to the pained cries of childbirth. Not an hour later, they were called upstairs where Candy nearly fainted. His baby girl was so beautiful.

Bear had been a good big brother to Carson. He was very attentive and would come out to inform Candy that the baby needed something. He was also very careful of his mom. It was like he thought she was going to break. At night he had to watch the baby being put down before he could go to sleep himself.

"Candy, Ben and Joe are here." Wolf called from the front door.

He picked up his daughter and walked out. Joe and Ben reined their horses and slid to the ground. Joe reached for the baby instantly, smiling happily when the little girl reached for his face.

"We just came to see if you're ready." Ben said.

Candy looked at his wife. Wolf nodded. "I guess we're ready."

"Good. We weren't leaving until you were anyway." Joe said with a smile.

Wolf whistled and Wind came running through the trees. He had been let loose to run the range but had decided to stay close to the woman who had tamed him. Now he was a family animal and only came when whistled for.

Bear happily grabbed the horse's mane as he was perched atop the stallion. Candy slid Carson into the Sioux baby carrier and slid it onto his back as Wolf swung up on Wind's back. The nice happy family went on a ride with the Cartwrights.

**END**


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